"Rather Dated" November: Anita Brookner, A Start in Life 📚

@MotherofPearl

I agree that the theme of disappointment and unfulfilled potential runs through the novel, but like many of Brookner's protagonists, Ruth is also quite steely and self-sufficient in many ways.

Yes, and I think it's that steeliness, that strength in her protagonists that makes the stories not only about disappointment, but about optimism and hope (makes me slightly embarrassed to say that somehow). Her characters stay strong and true to themselves despite the disappointments dealt to them, I think.

Probably reading Brookner led me to Balzac, another favourite author of mine. Not quite as introspective as Brookner, but oh so beautifully written and observed. And such a catalogue to work through! :)

I want to jot down a few thoughts about the book while they're fresh (ish) in my mind.

I think that description of if as 'A weirdly hypnotic tragicomedy of the banal’ posted upthread is perfect. It is filled with quotidian details, but I don't find these banal at all. I love the bits about clothes, or meals. And I did find it strangely hypnotic.

I think there are lots of comic touches, and I found Mrs Cutler very amusingly drawn ('Never say die!'). I think there were also some elements of the ridiculous - aspects of the relationship between George and Mrs Jacobs, for example - that I found funny.

I agree that the theme of disappointment and unfulfilled potential runs through the novel, but like many of Brookner's protagonists, Ruth is also quite steely and self-sufficient in many ways. And though her start in life is far from ideal, she has at least achieved moderate academic success by the end.

One thing I've noticed in Brookner's novels is how she often shows an isolated woman who is sort of brought to life by proximity to a happy and more glamorous couple - in this novel, Hugh and Jill. I recently read Look at Me and a similar thing happens there.

As for Helen and George, they are truly dreadful characters - self-centred, vapid, and as a pp said, so vain. I was frustrated by Ruth's sense of duty to them - though perhaps that's why it could be read as dated? I don't think many young women today would be quite so willing to give up their lives and careers in this way - thank goodness.

I also found the subtle references to Mrs Weiss's Jewish background very interesting, and assumed the implication was that she had fled Nazi domination in perhaps the 1930s.

Lastly, I've never read any Balzac but feel inspired to, and wonder if I had, the novel would have meant even more.

I did find it poignant and no one writes about Disappointment as Brookner could.

That is pretty much all she writes about, though, isn't it? I read quite a few of her books, including A Start in Life, when they were in vogue, which was probably about 30 years ago, and they became very samey after a while. Not denying she's a good writer, but her range is fairly limited.

Anita Brookner is my all time favourite author, it could be that I started reading her in my late teens and "grew up" with her writing throughout my life. She had yet to disappoint me as we both aged.

I loved A Start in Life when I first read it and like many of her books, it has a special place in my heart. I did find it poignant and no one writes about Disappointment as Brookner could.

Nowadays I tend to re-read Hotel du Lac, Look At Me, Latecomers and A Closed Eye, rather than her very early works.

I hope Ruth will find a new lease of life once her father dies.

The poor cabbie!

It felt like a simpler time, revolving around meals, and The mundane.

I read a review of this that termed it ‘A weirdly hypnotic tragicomedy of the banal’, and broadly speaking I agree with this. There was a lot of detail given over to the everyday, like the cooking of a meal.

I enjoyed the early descriptions of Ruth’s life, the dining room ‘sodden with a miasma of gravy and tears’, her vain and ridiculous parents who took little to no notice of her. We find out a lot about her parents, more than I thought I would. Her parents are quite simply dreadful. Spoilt, weak, self-obsessed, but in different ways.

Between them they offer no support to their only child and as the novel progresses they go from virtually ignoring her to leaning on her to sucking the life from her. As her mother loses her looks and ability to navigate the world outside of her filthy bedroom, she turns to Ruth for support. I found this incredibly frustrating, as Ruth had finally got to France, made friends and found somewhere to live. I was angry on her behalf. Her parents had provided anything for her really. The home was her grandmother’s, the money came from her too. All her parents did was ruin the house with dirt and neglect.

I thought it was well written and I will read another of her books. What I found interesting was the title. There was no ‘start’ for Ruth.

Thanks very much for doing that @frustratedacademic and @LivMumsnet

Just asked cheekily on the other thread if we can add the book 📚 emojis to the titles of these book threads so they stick out please? @frustratedacademic

Thanks! I haven't actually read this one yet. 😳

Thanks; place marking until I get a moment to write up my thoughts on the marvellous A Start in Life.